konow



'0. L. KQNOW April 2, 1940.

HARVESTER REEL Original Filed April 3, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 2,1940; o. L. KONOW HARVESTER REEL Original Filed April 3, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet 2' Reissued Apr. 2, 1940 Otto L. Konow, Lockport, 111.,assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Allis-ChalmersManufacturing Comp Delaware any, a corporation of Original No.2,095,364, dated October 12, 1937 Serial No. 134,873, April 3, 1937.

Application,

for reissue September 26, 1939, Serial No.

, '7 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in reelsfor agricultural machines such as harvesters and combines and has forits primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth,means whereby the reel may be conveniently raised or lowered to anydesired position from the operators seat of the tractor or other powerunit to meet various conditions that are frequently encountered, such astall and short grain.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide novel meansfor maintaining the proper tension on the drive belt regardless of theposition of the reel.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a reel of theaforementioned character for agricultural machines which will becomparatively efficient and reliable in use, compact and which designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the reel shaft bracket.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view,taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

, Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises anupward- 1y extending reel post I of substantially square cross sectionwhich is provided with suitable means at its lower end, as at 2, formounting said post on a portion of the frame, near the forward endthereof, of the reaper or. other machine for swinging movement in avertical plane. Mounted. for vertical sliding adjustment on the post Iis a bracket which is designated generally by the reference numeral 3,said bracket including transversely aligned clamps 4 which secure thetubular bearing 5 in position on the bracket ,3. The. shaft 6 of thereel is journaled in the bearing 5, said reel being designated generallyby the'reference numeral 1 and including the usual, blades or paddles 8mounted on the arms 9. As is customary, the reel is positioned over acutting sickle at the forward end of the frame of the harvester, and,during operation, the blades of the reel bend the grain stalks towardthe sickle which cuts the stalks, the reel blades assisting in carryingthe severed stalks rearwardly onto a grain receiving portion or graintrough of the harvester.

The reference numeral I0 designates an extensible shaft at one endrotatablysupported' on the post I below the bracket 3, as at II. Theother end portion of the shaft 10 is journaled in a suitable bearing I2which is' loosely mounted on a support I3, said support being secured inany suitable .manner to the reaper, as by U-bolts or clamps I4. Fixed onthe outer end of the shaft I0 is a bevelled gear I5. Fixed on the shaftto.

adjacent the post .I is a sprocket I6. Interposed in the shaft I0 is asuitableuniversal joint I'I. Between the universal joint I! and thebearing I2, the shaft I0 is provided with a sliding connection I8. Theconnection I8 includes a polyg onal socket'slidably receiving a squareportion of the shaft IIl. Rotatably mounted on the upper portion of thepost I is a sprocket I9. The reference numeral 28 designates an endlesschain which is trained around the sprockets I6 and I9. Interposed in thechain is a platell to which the bearing 5 is secured by a U-bolt orclamp 22;

Mounted on the bearing I2 at right angles thereto is a bearing 23 inwhich a shaft isjournaled. On one end of the shaft 24 is fixed a beveledgear 25 which drives the gear I5. The other end of the shaft 24 isconnected by a suitable universal joint 26 to a shaft 21. any suitablelength and in any desired number of sections and the forward end portionof said shaft is journaled' on a support 28 which is mounted, forexample, on the draw bar 29 of the reaper, Fixed. on the forwardend'p'ortion of the shaft 21 is a crank 30 which is adapted to beoperated from the seat of the tractor or other power unit. r

Fixed on the shaft 6 of the reel 1 is the usual pulley'3I over which adrive belt 32 is trained, thisbelt being driven by a driving pulleyfixed on a shaft, as indicated at 3 I, operatively mount ed on arearwardly' located portion of the frame. The bracket 3 further includesa pair of substantially U-shaped members 33 which straddle the post I.As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 3 of the drawings, rollers 34 arejournaled in, the members 33 and travel on opposite sides of the post I.

The reference numeral 35 designates generally an'automatic tightener forthe belt 32. The belt tightener 35 includes a rod or bar 36 of polygonalcross-section having its forward end pivot- The shaft 21 may be of vally connected to the uppermost member 33 and extending rearwardlytherefrom in a direction transverse to the direction of the length'ofthe upwardly extending post I. The rear end portion of the rod 36extends slidably through a substantially U-shapedguide 31 which isloosely mounted on the. side wall of the grain'trough'38 of the reaper.A brace, 39 extends from the outer portion of the bracket 3 to the rearend portion of the rod 36. Encircling the rod 36 andadapted toyieldingly urge same forwardly is a coil spring 40. The coil spring 40is confined under tension between washers 4| and 42 which are slidablymounted on the rod 36. The washer 4| bears against a pin 43 in the rod36 and the washer 42 bears against the guide 31.

The spring 40 is normally. in compression and urges the abutment washer42 against the guide 31 and urges the abutment washer 4| against the pin43 in the rod 36, the spring thus urging" forwardly the rod 36 and thebracket 3 carrying the reel shaft 6, thereby placing the requiredtension on the driving belt 32. And the rod 36, being pivotallyconnected to the bracket 3 and ,yieldingly connected to the framethrough the spring 40 and theguide 31, thus serves as a reharvester reelconstructed. in accordance with vice is as illustrated and described, itis to be the chain 20, thus raising said reel.

* opposite direction;

siliently yieldable' brace for retaining the post I extending upwardlyin desired position. Through the connection of the rear end of the brace39 to the rod 36 at a point rearwardly ofthe guide 31, this portion ofthe brace 39serves as a projection on the rod 36 to cooperate with theguide 31 and thus limit the forward movement of rod 36 and the bracket 3and post I, even though the proper tension on the reel drive belt 32.

It is believed that the many advantages of a the present inventionwillbereadily understood and although apreferred embodiment of thedeunderstood" that changes in the details of'construction and in thecombination and arrangement of parts maybe resortedto which ,will'fallwithin the scope of the invention .as claimed.

' What is claimed is: r

1. In a harvesting machine including its. frame and reel shaft, a postpivotally connected to a' part of the frame at its lower end, a bracket,a

tubular bearing carried by the bracket and through which the shaftpasses, upper and lower roller carrying members attached to the bracketand through which the post passes with the rollers engaging the post, amovable member carried by the post and connected with the bracket forimparting vertical movement to'the bracket,

means including shafting, having universal joints and slip jointstherein, and. gearing for imparting movement to the movable member,means.

for supporting saidshafting from the;frame, drive means for the reelshaft including a pulley thereon-and a driving belt therefor, a barpivotally connected to one of the roller carrying members, means forslidably supporting the bar (s from the frame spring means associatedwith said bar for forcing the bar in a certain direction and maintainingsaid driving belt taut.

2. In a harvesting machine including its frame and a'reel shaft, a postpivotally connected to the frame at its lower end, a bracket, a tubularbearing carried by the bracket and through which said shaft passes,upper and lower roller carrying members attached to said bracket andthrough I which said post passes with the rollers engaging said post aflexible movable member carried'by said post and connected with saidbracket for imparting vertical movement to said bracket, means for"imparting movement to said movable memberto the'rebycause raising andlowering of said bracket and bearing carried thereby, drive means forthe reel shaft including a pulley thereon anda driving belt therefor, abar pivotally connected to one of the roller carrying memb'ers andextending rearwardly therefrom in a direction transverse to thedirection of the length of said-post, means for slidably supporting thebartfrom the frame, and spring means associated with said supportingmeans and said barfor forcing said bar and said bracket and shaftassociated therewith in a certain direction and operative to maintainsaid driving belt taut.

3. In a harvesting machine including a frame having a grain-receivingtrough, a harvesting reel having a shaft, a-post-pivotally mounted on apart of the frame and extending upwardly from said pivotal mounting, abearing bracket movably mounted on said post and capable of being movedup and down along, said post, a tubular bearing carried by said bracketand in which said shaft is rotatably mounted, a movable member carriedby said post and connected to said-bracket, means for imparting movementto said bracket through said movable member to cause said brackettoslide along said post to'different vertical positions thereon, drive-means for said reel shaft includinga pulley on the shaft and a-drivingbelt therefor extending rearwardlyto a driving pulley on the frame,a'brace bar pivotally connected to a portion of saidbracket andextending rearwardly therefrom in direction transverse to the directionof the length of said post, means for slidably supporting said bar from,

the frame, and spring means associated with said bar for forcing thelatter and said bracket and shaft in a forward direction, and saidspring means being operative through its' association with said bar andsaid-frame to maintain said driving belt in taut driving relation to thepulley on the reel shaft. 1

'4. In a harvesting machine including-a frame having-a grain troughportion to receive harvested grain, a. harvesting reel includinga shaft,

a post having its lower end pivotally mounted'on aforward portion ofsaid frame, abracket slidably mounted on said post for up and downmovement thereon, a tubular bearingcarriedby said bracket and in whichsaid reel shaft is rotatably mounted, a member rotatable 011asubstantially horizontal axis and carried by said post above saidbracket, means for sliding said bracket alongisaid post, said meansincluding-a flexible operating element connected to said bracket andpassing over said rotatable member and operable to lift said bracket, abar pivotally connected at one end to a portion of said bracket andextend-.

ingrearwardly in a direction transverse to the direction of the lengthofysaid post, means for slidably supporting said bar on said graintrough, drive .means for said shaft including a pulleythereon-'and'adriving belt therefor snring means associated with saidbar and said supporting means for yieldingly forcing'said bracket andsaid shaft carried thereby in a forward direction to maintain tautnessof said driving belt.

5. In a harvesting machine including a frame, a harvesting reel having ashaft, a post pivotally mounted adjacent its lower end on a forwardportion of said frame, a bearing bracket movably mounted on said postfor up and down movement thereon, a tubular bearing carried by saidbracket and in which said shaft is rotatably mounted, a movable membercarried by said post and connected to said bracket, means for impartingmovement to said bracket through said movable member to cause saidbracket to slide along said post to different positions thereon, a barpivotally connected to a portion of said bracket and extendingrearwardly and transversely of said post, means for slidably supportinga rear end portion of said bar from said frame, spring means associatedwith said bar for forcing said bracket and shaft carried thereby in aforward direction, and drive means for the shaft including a pulleythereon and a driving belt therefor extending rearwardly therefrom andheld taut through the action of said spring means urging said bar insaid direction.

6. In a harvesting machine including a frame, a harvesting reel having ashaft, an upwardly extending post mounted on said frame, a bracket, atubular bearing carried by said bracket and in which said shaft isrotatably supported, said bracket being mounted for sliding movement todifferent positions along said post, means for imparting slidingmovement to said bracket with respect to said post, a bar connected tosaid bracket and extending rearwardly in a direction transverse to thelength of said post, drive means for said shaft including a pulley onsaid shaft and a driving belt therefor, and means for yieldingly andresiliently supporting the rear end portion of said bar from said frameand operative to yieldingly hold said driving belt in taut drivingrelation.

7. In a harvesting machine including a frame, a harvesting reelincluding a shaft, a post having its lower end pivotally mounted on saidframe, a bracket slidably mounted for movement along said post andcarrying a bearing in which said shaft is rotatably mounted, meansincluding a flexible operating element operatively connected to saidbracket for sliding said bracket relative to said post, drive means forsaid shaft including a pulley thereon and a driving belt therefor, anda. bracing connection between said post and said frame and extendingrearwardly from said post and in a direction transverse to the length ofsaid post, said bracing connection. including a resiliently yieldableconnection to said frame and being operative to yieldingly urge saidpost and said shaft in a direction to maintain tautnessof said drivingbelt.

OTTO L. KONOW.

